The Effects of Diverse Body-Positive Instagram Posts on Body Image Across the Spectrum of Adulthood

Recent studies have examined the effects of diverse body-positive social media content on levels of body acceptance and appreciation. However, these studies have not addressed how different types of Instagram content affect women across the spectrum of adulthood in an ecologically valid manner. The current study addressed this gap in the literature by examining the effects of diverse body-positive Instagram content on body image in women across the spectrum of adulthood. We randomly assigned 205 women (18-76 years old) to view either diverse body-positive, thin-ideal, or neutral Instagram content. Participants completed a variety of measures in an online survey that measured body satisfaction, body appreciation, and self-objectification. Our findings demonstrated that exposure to diverse body-positive Instagram content resulted in higher levels of body appreciation, body satisfaction, and self-objectification compared to exposure to thin-ideal and neutral Instagram content, after controlling for age. We concluded that prolonged exposure to diverse body-positive social media content may protect against the negative effects of social media on body image